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Everton slumped to their third consecutive Premier League defeat after going down 2-1 at Molineux to an in-form Wolverhampton Wanderers side.

The Toffees were hoping to bounce back from a disappointing few weeks, but first-half goals from Max Kilman and Raul Jimenez were enough to send Bruno Lage’s charges into seventh place in the top-flight table.

It was an entertaining encounter that the hosts dominated in the opening period, and Kilman’s first Wolves goal via a back-post header was reward for their early control.

And things went from bad to worse for Everton just after the half-hour mark. Versatile defender Ben Godfrey attempted a back pass that inadvertently slipped in Jimenez, who dinked the ball expertly over an on-rushing Jordan Pickford.

It proved to be a fatal blow for the Blues and compounded Godfrey’s miserable night after struggling to deal with the hosts’ attacking movement all evening.

Journalist Josh Bunting tweeted about the incident leading to Wolves’ winning strike, lamenting Benitez’s side and Godfrey in particular for their poor play.

“Everton have been absolutely dreadful, 2-0 Wolves and they’ve deserved it they’ve played Everton off the park. Everton also making it far too easy for Wolves to get shots in at goal. Ben Godfrey is really struggling for form right now another mistake that he has been punished for,” he wrote.

As per SofaScore, the England international was awarded a match rating of just six out of 10, by far the lowest total received by any player on the pitch.

Throughout the 90 minutes, Godfrey lost seven of his 13 duels, was dribbled past by an opposition forward on two occasions and made one very costly error leading directly to a goal, highlighting his underwhelming display.

But the 23-year-old was also disappointing when in possession too. He achieved a passing accuracy of just 75%, lost possession 11 times, and failed to pick out a teammate with his only attempted cross.

The youngster was fielded in an unfamiliar left-back role due to Lucas Digne’s enforced absence, but he’ll be hoping to put in a much-improved showing when taking on Tottenham Hotspur next time out.

And, in other news…“Quite keen…”: ESPN journalist drops exciting Everton update, fans will be buzzing

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in AC Milan machine Alessio Romagnoli.

What’s the talk?

According to Tutto Mercato, the Magpies are one of the teams plotting a move for the Italian central defender ahead of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Lazio, Juventus and Sevilla are also keen on the 26-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of the campaign, although Milan are said to be holding out hope that they can pin him down to an extension.

Imagine him & Burn

PIF must ensure that they can seal a deal to sign Romagnoli on a free transfer as he would be a fantastic addition to Eddie Howe’s squad and would be able to form a strong partnership with Dan Burn at the back.

The Italian defender has been in fine form for the Rossoneri this season and has led the Serie A giants to the top of the table after 30 games. In the league, he has averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.08 across 18 appearances as he has consistently delivered quality performances.

Whilst completing 89% of his attempted passes this term, he has also averaged 2.4 tackles and interceptions and won an impressive 68% of his individual duels. Romagnoli is a strong defender who can read the game and he has been showcasing his ability throughout the current campaign.

Milan legend Paolo Maldini previously hailed the gem, saying: “He is one of the best ever, he is already at the national team. He must have well precise objectives. It’s a growth process. Milan of the last few years did not help Alessio but we now hope that he will help us return Milan back.”

Romagnoli has played 246 Serie A matches throughout his career and this shows that he has the experience to go along with his impressive performances and praise from Maldini. He has consistently delivered over a number of years and is, therefore, not a one-hit-wonder who is having a flash in the pan.

Burn has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.03 in the Premier League this term, winning 57% of his duels and making 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game. He has proven himself to be a reliable player in the top-flight for the Toon and that is why the Magpies can form a strong partnership by signing Romagnoli to partner with the ex-Brighton man.

Both players are strong performers at the top level and, therefore, can provide a solid base upon which Howe can build the rest of his Newcastle team.

AND in other news, Sold for £30m, now worth £13.5m: Ashley played a blinder for NUFC over £83k-p/w flop…

An update has emerged on Sunderland forward Aiden O’Brien, regarding his failed deadline day transfer.

What’s the talk?

According to the Doncaster Press, via the Sunderland Echo, a deadline day loan move for Aiden O’Brien to join Doncaster fell through at the last hurdle after the Black Cats issued the player the wrong form to sign.

The report claims that time had run out for the move to be completed by the time the error was corrected, which meant that O’Brien ended up staying at the Stadium of Light.

Howler avoided

Sunderland have managed to inadvertently avoid a key deadline day howler by failing to get the move for O’Brien over the line. It would have been a disaster to send the attacker out on a temporary deal after also allowing Will Grigg to join Rotherham on loan, as it would have left Lee Johnson with little in the way of depth at the top end of the pitch.

Nathan Broadhead and Ross Stewart would have been left to carry the load up front, whilst it would have also left Aiden McGeady as the only recognised left-winger. O’Brien is comfortable playing on the left or through the middle, which makes him a valuable asset to the Black Cats as he can cover in more than one position.

Earlier this season, Johnson heaped praise on the forward and lauded him as both ‘versatile’ and ‘dangerous’. The Sunderland boss said:

“Briz [O’Brien] is quite a versatile player, to be fair.

“He thinks he is a number nine at times, I probably think he is a nine-and-a-half or an 11 cutting in from the left.

“When I came up against him at Millwall, I always found his running power dangerous and difficult to deal with from the left.

“He is the kind of player who could play in two or three positions for us. He has that ability to float inside the pitch, and he is a good footballer – you can trust him with the ball.”

O’Brien has started both of Sunderland’s League Cup matches this season and racked up four goals, averaging a WhoScored rating of 8.20. This, along with Johnson’s comments, suggest that he has the quality to make an impact for the club this season – whether that be in cup runs or as competition in League One.

Therefore, they could have had a disaster moment if they completed the deal to send him out on loan to another team in the division, as they would have ridded themselves of his talents. Fans will surely be relieved that the paperwork error saved Kristjaan Speakman and his team from what could have been a damaging transfer.

Derby County are set to receive a further EFL imposed nine-point deduction.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a recent report by John Percy for The Telegraph, with the journalist revealing that, after the Rams were hit with a 12 point deduction for entering administration, Wayne Rooney’s side will shortly be handed a further nine-point penalty for the club’s breaching of EFL financial rules.

It is also reported that the league’s governing body are set to impose a business plan on the Championship side, which the club’s administrators will have to follow resolutely in their operations going forwards, or else face being hit with further sanctions by the league.

Fans will be livid

Considering the fact that Derby’s recent 12-point deduction saw them plummet to the bottom of the Championship table, the additional nine-point penalty could all but confirm the club’s relegation to the third tier of English football come the end of the current campaign – something which will have left their fans feeling livid.

Indeed, with the latest deduction seeing the club fall to -11 points, 15 behind Nottingham Forest in 23rd and 18 behind Peterborough United in 21st, Derby’s fate would very much appear to be sealed unless Wayne Rooney masterminds what would undoubtedly be the greatest escape of all time.

However, perhaps more concerning for those involved with the Rams are the various predictions surrounding their current financial state, with one source stating to The Athletic that the club’s chances of surviving liquidation are 50/50, while another claimed that they could not see a way out for Derby.

As such, perhaps a scenario in which the Rams find themselves playing their football in League One next season is actually quite a desirable outcome, as the other possibility is simply unthinkable for Derby fans.

In other news: Fresh report emerges on Derby County’s chances of liquidation, fans should be worried

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to target a new forward during the January transfer window…

What’s the word?

That’s according to football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, who delivered a fresh claim to supporters during a recent Q&A.

When asked if an additional striker would be a priority in the upcoming window, he replied:

“Definitely.

“Dane Scarlett will get minutes here and there until then, and that will help the 17-year-old’s development, but it’s one area of the squad where too much pressure is being put on two players to share the load and in [Harry] Kane and [Heung-min] Son. They’re players who are too key to lose to injuries through overuse.

“Then it’s over to that age-old issue of finding a striker of the required quality in the January window who is willing to come and play back-up to Kane.”

Much needed addition

Indeed, another frontman is exactly what Nuno Santo needs heading into the second half of the season, especially considering the fact that he was reportedly keen to deploy a two-man attack upon arrival in north London.

Either way, it’s the one position Spurs lack serious depth in.

An injury to Kane could seriously curtail their campaign, which is the last thing they’ll want after clinching three straight victories in all competitions, in which the England international has found his scoring boots with four goals.

It’s a situation familiar to the club. In January 2020, he picked up a lengthy injury and Spurs soon crashed out of the FA Cup and the Champions League, and also slipped rapidly down the table.

Last season, former Lilywhites boss Jose Mourinho had a suitable and cost-effective backup in Benfica loanee Carlos Vinicius, who has since signed for PSV Eindhoven.

Whilst in previous years, the north Londoners have been stacked in the attacking department. At one point, Spurs had the services of Robbie Keane, Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Emmanuel Adebayor in the very same squad.

Of course, it’s a more difficult task these days as you have to find someone willing to play second fiddle to Kane but opportunities wouldn’t be limited. Spurs are still in all domestic cup competitions and are among the favourites to secure the UEFA Europa Conference League, so there are plenty of fixtures ahead.

Therefore, this latest development should leave many around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium absolutely buzzing and excited ahead of January.

New sporting director Fabio Paratici has already shown his muscle in the transfer market, signing the likes of Emerson, Bryan Gil and Cristian Romero, so he could well deliver once again with the addition of a new forward.

Whether Spurs manage to secure that man remains to be seen but it’s certainly an encouraging prospect.

AND in other news, Forget Dier: £60m-rated Spurs star who lost possession 14x endured a nightmare at Newcastle…

After picking up one point from a possible six from their opening two Premier League games of the new campaign, Crystal Palace head to Vicarage Road this evening to take on Watford in the Carabao Cup.

The Eagles were held to a goalless draw by newly-promoted Brentford last time out, a performance which offered a marked improvement on their opening-day defeat at the hands of Chelsea.

However, Patrick Vieira’s men have failed to score in their 180 minutes of top-flight action so far this season, something that will be a great concern for the new manager.

Vieira has openly admitted he’s looking to bolster his options in the final third of the pitch following the departures of Andros Townsend and Michy Batshuayi this summer, leading to several stars being linked with a move to the capital club.

But part of the solution could already be within south London. French striker Jean-Philippe Mateta arrived at Palace last January from Bundesliga outfit Mainz with a sizeable reputation following his impressive exploits at the MEWA Arena.

He bagged 27 goals and provided five assists in 71 appearances for Die Nullfünfer, earning several plaudits in the process.

“For a player with such impressive athletic potential, Jean-Philippe has a rare ability to get in behind opposition defences and beat players one-on-one,” summarised France U21 coach Sylvain Ripoll (as relayed by Bundesliga.com), who called Mateta up for the first time in October 2018. “And there’s still a lot of room for improvement.”

The 24-year-old struggled to break into the starting XI under former Eagles boss Roy Hodgson, though, scoring just one goal in his seven outings during the final months of the experienced tactician’s reign.

Mateta would have been hoping for a fresh start under Vieira then, and his compatriot selected him in his first competitive starting lineup at Stamford Bridge just over a week ago.

Nevertheless, Mateta lasted just 57 minutes before being substituted and failed to come off the bench against Brentford, despite Palace struggling to create chances as they went in search of a winning goal.

Therefore, Vieira must unleash the £11.7m-rated gem in this evening’s cup encounter. Away from the spotlight of the Premier League, the pacey frontman could thrive and showcase his potential to be the striker Palace have craved over the last few years.

Adding a proven goalscorer to the club’s ranks is a priority for Vieira, but if he entrusts Mateta tonight, then he may discover one already at his disposal and if the striker can grab a goal, it will do his confidence the world of good.

And, in other news…David Ornstein drops exciting Palace transfer update that’ll leave fans delighted

With Newcastle United 19th in the Premier League and deep in a relegation dogfight, Eddie Howe will be desperate to acquire as many signings this window as possible with the backing of PIF.

One particular area of weakness for the Magpies is in midfield, which could do with some major reinforcements. Having recently been linked with a potential loan move for Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek, the Tyneside club should now swoop for the Dutchman.

What’s the latest?

According to the Manchester Evening News, Van de Beek has been offered to Newcastle as well as Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund for the remainder of the season.

The 24-year-old is still struggling for game time at Old Trafford under interim boss Ralf Rangnick, having made just 14 appearances all season for the Red Devils. Since joining from Dutch giants Ajax in September 2020, Van de Beek has made just 50 appearances for United, despite glimpses of brilliance and potential runs in the team.

After a Champions League win over Istanbul Basaksehir last season, the midfielder received plenty of plaudits, with former United player Owen Hargreaves stating: “I thought Van de Beek was close to perfect. He is so unselfish, he can just fit in and play the right balls everywhere.”

However, as a result of his lack of club game time, the midfielder has also lost his place in the Netherlands setup. Van de Beek has failed to make the last three Oranje squads and, with the World Cup in November, he will be desperate for regular football to regain his place under Louis van Gaal.

Unfortunately for him, he doesn’t seem likely to get it at Manchester United, so a loan move may be the best solution. If he is to become available, then Eddie Howe must swoop for the 24-year-old’s signature.

Howe must swoop for Van de Beek

To say that Newcastle are currently in a predicament is an understatement. The Tyneside club are deep in a relegation battle and kicked off the New Year with a 1-0 home defeat to League One side Cambridge United in the FA Cup, despite fielding a relatively strong team.

The lack of quality midfield options will certainly be a cause for concern for Howe, but also makes it clear for the Englishman where he needs to add players this window.

The likes of Jonjo Shelvey, Sean Longstaff and Joe Willock have had underwhelming campaigns thus far, with the trio totalling a combined three goal involvements in 40 Premier League appearances. That sort of output from three midfield players needs to be improved.

Back when Van de Beek was playing regularly at Ajax, he recorded 14 or more goal involvements in three successive Eredivisie seasons, also netting five Champions League goals in that time. Those figures suggest that he would be a major upgrade on the likes of Shelvey, Longstaff and Willock.

Valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, a loan move for the Dutch midfielder may be sensible for the short-term. However, should Newcastle survive in the top flight and the Red Devils keep failing to offer him regular game-time, then a permanent move to St James’ Park may prove possible.

AND in other news, Newcastle are also eyeing a move for this player who’s been dubbed the “new Vidic”

Newcastle United would need a complete disaster to unfold in order to suffer relegation this season, as the appointment of Eddie Howe has turned their season around – with the Magpies currently sitting 15th in the Premier League table.

And, the club could now be set for a further boost over their remaining games.

What’s the latest?

Eddie Howe took to his pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Leicester City to give an important update on both Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson.

Howe confirmed on Trippier: “Kieran, I think, is very slightly ahead of schedule. He’s beginning to run back on the grass with his boots on, so that’s a great sign for us.”

Adding a further promising update on Wilson: “Callum’s the same. He’s gradually building up to where he wants to be which is great to see.

“Personally, they’re OK because they’re both in a good place. They’re both improving in line with probably what we expected.”

Howe will be buzzingBoth players have made a great impact at St James’ Park during their time at the club, so Howe will be buzzing that they will be back in training and likely back on the pitch before the end of the season.Wilson has struggled with his fitness throughout his time in the North East, but has still bagged 18 goals and registered five assists in 43 appearances so far, with a goal contribution every 147 minutes played – an incredibly impressive feat considering he has spent 257 days on the injury table since joining in 2020.Trippier joined in January and was integral in the four Premier League outings he has made so far, with two goals from left-back in the 318 minutes he has played. Indeed, it was a huge disappointment when the influential 31-year-old broke his left metatarsal against Aston Villa back in February.Whilst it’s highly unlikely that the pair will be back imminently, their respective returns to the squad for training at Darsley Park and picking up some minutes in the last few games of the campaign would be a huge boost to see out the season.However, the Magpies will take on Leicester City without the duo on Sunday afternoon – with Howe certainly hoping that his team can pick up some form to further influence their move away from the relegation zone.Indeed, a win would put them on 37 points, something that could see the Magpies finish the weekend as high as 12th – if results go their way.AND in other news: Newcastle could finally axe shocking £55k-p/w liability with £40.5m-rated “tank”

Celtic have tabled an offer for Gamba Osaka midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi, according to The Athletic’s Kieran Devlin.

The Lowdown: Ideguchi profiled

Ideguchi appears to be one of three Japanese targets for Ange Postecoglou in the New Year alongside Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda.

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The 25-year-old can play in a central or attacking midfield role and is valued at £720,000 by Transfermarkt.

Ideguchi has made 182 appearances for his current employers, 41 of which have come in 2021. He also has 13 caps to his name for his country, and it seems as if the Hoops are stepping up their interest in the former Leeds United man.

The Latest: Devlin’s claim

Devlin shared a story on Thursday morning ahead of the Hoops’ Europa League clash with Real Betis.

Within his report, he said ‘Celtic are believed to have tabled an offer for midfielder Ideguchi’, with Gamba Osaka ‘willing’ to allow Ideguchi to enter talks with the Hoops.

Devlin’s in-depth piece on Ideguchi is available to view here, with Japanese journalist Alan Gibson suggesting in the piece the midfielder is ‘ready’ for ‘Ange-ball’.

The Verdict: Starting to take shape…

Postecoglou has recently admitted that the club are on schedule with January signings, and this latest update backs up his claim.

Should Ideguchi make the move to Parkhead, he’d give the Hoops boss another versatile option in midfield, which seems to be needed as Postecoglou has relied heavily on Callum McGregor, David Turnbull and Tom Rogic so far this season.

He has plenty of experience in Japan, so Postecoglou will know just what he could bring to Celtic, and it seems as if the Hoops have stepped up their attempts to secure Ideguchi’s services with an offer now on the table.

In other news: Sky Sports journalist drops Celtic injury update on ‘brilliant’ star. 

Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas has shared some transfer news out of Tottenham Hotspur involving Borussia Monchengladbach star Matthias Ginter.

The Lowdown: Conte makes demands?

The Lilywhites and transfer chief Fabio Paratici, according to reports, are operating under the orders of manager Antonio Conte as the Spurs head coach makes summer window demands behind-the-scenes.

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Most recently, it has been claimed that Conte has personally requested the signing of a left-sided centre-half (Calciomercato), as well as Juventus midfielder and USA international Weston McKennie (La Gazzetta dello Sport via Sport Witness).

The former Chelsea manager, it appears, is seeking to re-shape the Spurs squad in his own image whilst gifting his new side the best chance of success for his first full campaign.

Now, as relayed by Thomas, it appears Tottenham and Conte are eyeing a new target in soon-to-be free agent Ginter.

The Latest: Sky reporter makes Ginter claim…

According to Sky sources, Spurs, and by extension their manager, are now eyeing the 28-year-old alongside an array of top clubs.

Ginter has already confirmed his intention to leave Gladbach on a free this summer as his contract nears expiry.

Subsequently, this has alerted Tottenham, alongside the likes of Aston Villa, Juventus and London rivals West Ham.

“Aston Villa among the clubs interested in Matthias Ginter on a free transfer, acc. to Sky Germany,” he explained (via Twitter).

“Separately, I’m aware he has been watched by a lot of top clubs this season including Juventus, Tottenham and West Ham.”

The Verdict: Make a move?

As Conte reportedly earmarks the signing of a central defender as a top summer priority, as backed by The Athletic, there are few better than Ginter on a potential Bosman deal.

Described as an ‘underrated’ player by former Germany boss Joachim Low, the international’s estimated £21.6 million valuation can be totally bypassed this summer – an opportunity Tottenham surely must consider.

According to WhoScored, only Gladbach keeper Yann Sommer has played more league minutes than mainstay Ginter.

The towering 6 foot 3 ace has also managed the second-most clearances per 90 (3) out of their squad in that time, all whilst coming in as Adi Hütter’s fourth-best Bundesliga performer by average match rating (6.83, WhoScored).

An accomplished and proven German top flight ace, we won’t be surprised to see more Spurs reports emerge on Ginter as the summer window nears.

In other news: Tottenham official sent to club as Paratici now eyes ‘imperious’ ex-Man City man for Conte! Find out more here.